Find Out If You Are Eligible for Amazon Prime Refunds and When You Might Get Paid
Amazon will soon start processing payments for eligible Prime subscribers following a landmark settlement worth $2.5 billion with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This agreement, one of the largest consumer protection settlements in the United States, arose from a lawsuit filed by the FTC in 2023, which accused Amazon of misleading customers regarding their Prime subscriptions.
Settlement Details and Requirements
Under the terms of the settlement, $1.5 billion will be allocated to repay qualifying subscribers, while the remaining $1 billion serves as a civil penalty. Although Amazon did not admit to any wrongdoing, the company has agreed to implement reforms aimed at improving customer experience. These include:
- Providing a “clear and conspicuous” option to decline Prime during the checkout process.
- Simplifying the cancellation procedure for existing subscribers.
Mark Blafkin, a senior manager at Amazon, emphasized the company’s commitment to compliance and customer satisfaction. He pointed out that the changes aim to streamline the sign-up and cancellation processes for Amazon Prime memberships.
Eligibility for Amazon Prime Refunds
To be eligible for refunds as part of this settlement, customers must have enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. The eligibility criteria are further defined as follows:
- Subscribing via a “challenged enrollment flow.” These are specific pages where issues were identified, including Prime Video enrollment and Single Page Checkout.
- Not utilizing more than 10 Amazon Prime benefits within any 12-month period.
Eligible customers who meet these criteria will automatically receive payments from Amazon within 90 days if they did not use more than three Prime benefits in a year. Others must file a claim to receive their payouts.
Claim Processes and Payment Details
Amazon is responsible for notifying customers who need to file a claim within 30 days after automatic payments are distributed. Those who did not sign up through challenged methods but were unable to cancel their memberships will also need to submit a claim.
The potential refund amount for eligible customers is capped at $51. This payout may be adjusted based on the number of Prime benefits utilized while subscribed. Customers can expect to receive their refunds by December 24, 2023. However, individuals outside the United States will not qualify for these payments.
